The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-02
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
A Warm Climate at the Poles.
a Editor of the Fundamentals Journal.


lieved TO have been caused by the rotary or cen
.rifugal motion of the EARTH when this plastic
sphere on which we dwell was first launched
forth upon the vast ocean of spac by the ON
nipotent hand of the Creator; for such motion
has that tendency when applied to soft balls of
clay, putty or wax. The equatorial diameter of
the earth is about twenty-si and one half miles
longer than the polar diameter hence the
terials com posing the earth are heaped piled
up 10 the equatorial regions to the extent of
half that difference which is thirteen and
quarter miles, more than twice the height of
the highest mountains on the face of the globe
Therefore, there is around the tropical regions
Of the earth broad band, belt or equatorial
zone, ranging from 40 miles in height at the
tropics OF cancer and capricorn, to 49, or Is %
miles at the equator. This being the case, may
not this peculiar heaping up around the equator
ial regions, have the effect to thicken the crust
she'll of the earth at the equator and to thin,
fatten depress the thickness of the crust or
she'll at the poles; and to reduce the thickness
of such crust or shell at the poles to such ex-
tent to bring the surface of the earth at those
points into such close proximity, nearness to
the molten interior of the earth below. to
maintain warm climate at either pole, where
water freezes not and ice never forms-a climate
rivalng the tropics in perpetual summer.
Ihere are many FACTS IN FAVOR or this 0ypot1-
esis: DR. Kane, leaving his ship, frozen up in the
arctic regions, off the western coast of Green
land, travelled by sledge to the north, until his
further progress was barred by an open sea-
extending beyond the reach of the natural eye
aided by good telescopes. \ strong wind blew
steadily from the north but it brought down
ice well-defned coast extended on either
hand in a northeasterly and southwesterly dlrec-
ton. DR.. Kane and his companions. having no
ships or boats with them, were compelled very
reluctantly, return to their ship, after tracing
- A. al
dreds OF miles. tSee s.Vuliet's Geography of
Nature; or, The World as 1t Is,'' noted French
author translated into English, and published in
1885, page 519 In treating of Greenland, he
quotes from Maury's Geography of the Sea
follows: ''Dr. Kane, in his recent expedition to
the arctic regions, passed through Smiths
sound and explored the northern coast of Green
land as far as 90 west longitude He reports
the existence of open north of the par
allel of so. To reach it. his party crossed
barrier of ice eighty or a hundred miles
he found the Thermometer to show
the extreme temperature of co.. Passing this
ice-b bound region. by travelling north, he stood
on the shores of the iceless sea- extending in an
unbroken sheet of water as far as the eye could
reach towards the pole. Its waves were dash
ing the beach, with the swell of ooundless
ocean. Seals we're sporting. and water fowl
feeding in this open sea- The temperature of
it's waters was only 30.
Observe, that the temperature of the waters
Of this open sea So. that is 4o above the
freezing point of water, which is 81; hence, it
would not freeze at that latitude, which appears
to be the line of demarkation for it's southern
boundary, which. of course, may be affected TO
some extent by the temperature of the seasons.
If the coldness of the earth increased In a
regular ratio proportion from the equator to
the poles, then the degree of cold that would
exist at the poles and the geld condition of the
polar regions. would be such as to
form perpetual ice-cap, frozen to the
the case, for the polar currents from
the North continually tend south; bearing on
their bosom innumeraole 1ceoeres formed In
the arctic regions. Whence come the polar
currents, and what causes them, If 1t be not the
propinquitv of the earth's internal heau The
same condition obtains in the south polar
regions, except that the polar currents from the
antarctic interior tend north instead of south,
bearing on their bosom an immense number of
icebergs So you that the icebergs from
eachdrection appear TO be drawn by an irresist-
ible power towards the equator
Another Is, that it has been observed
by arctic explorers. as well as the Esauimaux
inhabiting those frigid and forbidding Countries
that lie north OF the Arctic circle, that the wild
geese and other aquatic fowls go north durin G
the warm season. They do not stop in the
regions inhabited by the Esquimaux. but still
continue north, doubtless for the purpose of
reaching a warm climate. where they can nest,
hatch, and rear their young unmolested, finding
protection and plenty beyond tbs exploration of
the white man. and where even the Esquimaux
cannot follow them.
Everything in nature to have its coun-
terpart For instance. we have male and
female; land and sea, hill and dale, mountain
and valley, the north temperate zone and the
south temperate zone, the arctic and the antarc-
tic, the warm climate of the tropics. and why
not another warmer climate of the polar regions
to counter balance its
Another thought suggests itself: Our school
globes are not accurately constructed else they
would show slight depression fatness at
each pole. True, it only amounts to about three
thousandths t.003 of the earth's diameter, but
it should be represented in order to impress the
exact shape of the earth upon the youthful
mind Many of The public schools still in
session, and this article will be read by many of
the pupils in said schools. who will wonder at il,
as we'll as older and wiser heads.
Take your biographies aud aliases, and ex-
anime the maps of the continents and you will
find the map of North America. about the
forty eighth parallel of north latitude, an ele-
waited region watershed called the Heights of
Land, dividing the waters that flow to the north
into Hudson's Bay and the Arctic from
those that flow south into the Gulf of Mexico
In South America you will find another water
shed about the sixteenth degree of south latitude.
marked by ranges of mountains In Brazil that
sci arate the waters flowing north from the
waters flowing south into the Rio de la Plata.
On the map of Europe you will find a similar
water shed about the sxtieth degree of north lat
map of North America. but still amply sufficient.
Also in western Europe you will find several
mountain chains. on or about the forty fifth 70
the fftieth degree OF north latitude, forming
very distinct watersheds separating the waters
that flow north from those that flow south.
On the map OF Asia. which is the largest and
most compact continent OF all, we md a con-
tinuous chain of mountain ranges. extending
from the Black and Caspian the west to
the Pacific ocean on the east, forming the most
N agniticeut and gigantic watershed in the
world. This is situated from the fortieth to the
forty eighth degree of north latitude ard sepa-
rates the flow of waters north and south.
The map of Africa does not present any such
well-defned and distinct watersheds running
east and west the other continents, because
Africa is mostly within the tropics. the equator
itself dividing the degrees of north and south
Iat
thirty-seveu degrees north and thirty-five de-
grees south Hence. the whole of Africa is stu
ated upon the equatorial bulge. comparatively
speaking
Now. the northern decivities of North Amer
lea, of Europe and of Asia and the southern de-
clivIty of Svz.A A-=-rlca present indubitable
evidence of depression of the polar regions,
and a consequent thinning OF the terreue she'll
crust of the earth at the poles.
Another reason in support of my theory may
be alleged, to-wit: The mountains decrease in
hAi..ht anrrnach The frlcid the